​An elective in Public Health with the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) in Washington was all it took to make fifth-year medical student Yonela Kentane more determined than ever to pursue a career in public health. 

Kentane, who did the elective under CUGH executive director Dr Keith Martin in Washington last October, said the four-week stint was a life-changing opportunity and a turning point for her. 

She was accompanied by fellow fifth-year MB,ChB student Lethukwenama Letsoalo.

“When I went over to Washington, I didn't really have a clear idea about what public health was. I was initially open to a clinical career in medicine, but after seeing first-hand how public health impacts on people's lives around the world, I'm now convinced that's where I'm supposed to be," Kentane said. 

“CUGH is an organisation with the aim of improving global public health. A key focus is to improve teaching resources in public health. Dr Martin, an inspiration in himself, is passionate about improving public health in Africa. 

Based at the CUGH offices in the UCLA building in Washington, the two worked with Dr Martin who made sure they increased our knowledge of the public health field in the global hub of public health. “We met a number of people working in public health and learnt first-hand what they deal with every day. We also attended a number of conferences on global health issues, such as primary health care; global health funding; increasing access to vaccines; and on the Ebola crisis in Congo." 

Kentane who is from East London, decided early on to study medicine. “At 16, I watched helplessly when my cousin had a seizure at my grandmother's house in the rural Eastern Cape. There were no cars to transport us to hospital. We were completely isolated. My grandmother, a nurse, was the only one able to help. I decided I'd never feel that helpless again," she said. 

Kentane started thinking seriously about a career in public health while doing her clinical rotations in her third year. “I saw so many patients with such heart-breaking stories. They were coming for help to a system that was not helping them. It broke my soul. I also learnt a great deal in the course on Health in Context. That was when I first started becoming interested in public health." 

This year, Kentane is part of a team doing research on female reproductive health. “We have partnered up with UCT's department of Public Health and are looking at attitudes of medical students to abortion and at their intention to provide the services in the future as medical practitioners." 

Kentane said one of the highlights of the elective was a trip to West Virginia, “the poorest state in the US… and the state with one of the poorest health outcomes in the country". “It was previously a coalmining state. Poverty and drug abuse have really affected the communities. Most of the people there are white. We're so used to poor people being black. That visit really brought home how social circumstances really impact your health. I learnt so much." 

Kentane credits the “amazing and fascinating" elective trip with helping her to firm up her decision to go into public health. “The trip helped me decide where I want to be." 

She paid special tribute to Professor Jimmy Volmink, who helped her to set up the elective in Washington. “He is the reason I was offered this opportunity and I am so thankful."

Caption: Fifth-year medical student, Yonela Ketane, with CUGH staff members during her visit in Washington.